Float valve



C. J. KOHLER FLOAT VALVE July 4, 1939.

Filed Aug. 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IFQVENTOR (AEL J. KOHLER w 4 i 2 V .w w 1 Fl I k f \4 w l l. a 6 5 2 w x1. 2 5 6 32 5 2 M mm 1 m w 61 14,. 4.

I .5 ATTORNEY July 4, 1939. I c KQHLER 7 2,164,927

FLOAT VALVE Filed Aug. 11, 1958 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CAlg L J KUHLER ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 193.9

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF cs 6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in float valves, and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a float valve which will be satisfactory and quiet in operation; second, to provide such a float valve which will be economical to manufacture and requires only a minimum of machining; and, third, to provide a float valve which may readily be assembled and disassembled. I,

With the foregoing and related objects in view,

the invention consists in the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a float valve constructed in accordance with the 16 invention; Figure 2, a front view; and Figure 3, a plan view thereof; and Figure 4, a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 187,644, filed January 29, 1938. a

In the embodiment illustrated an inlet tube I is provided with means 2 for attachment to a flush tank 3 and means 4 for connection to a supply pipe. 1 v

The inlet tube I is connected to and adapted to discharge into the chamber 5 of the valve body 6. The valve body 6 is provided with a discharge port 1, leading to a discharge tube 8, and with the conventional refill tube 8.

The valve body 6 is provided witha tubular valve seat II). The valve seat I8 has a beveled exterior portion or shoulder II for a purpose hereinafter described.

The upper portion of the body 6 is formed by 35 a cap I2 attached in any suitable manner as by screws I8 and provided with an upstanding lug I4. The cap I2 is also provided with a guide sleeve I6 adapted to receive the stem ll of a valve I8. The stem I1 is grooved to receive pack- 40 ing I8 to prevent the flow of fluid between the stem I1 and the sleeve I6.

The valve I8 is provided with a valve washer 28 of rubber or similar resilient material secured in position by a screw 2|. The valve I8 has a 45 shallow circumferential groove 22 extending around its periphery so that the circumferential portion of the washer 20 is spaced from the valve I8.

An annular sleeve 28 encircles the valve I8 and 50 has a sliding fit thereon. The lower portion of the sleeve 23 is beveled to engage the shoulder I I, as illustrated in Figure 1. When the screw 2I is tightened the washer 20 is expanded and forced against the sleeve 28, thus securing it in of the sleeve 22 with the shoulder I-I.

" hibitive for commercial production.

its'position of adjustment relative to the valve I8.

In assembling the valve the sleeve 28 is positioned on the valve I8 so that, on the downward movement of the valve, it contacts the shoulder I II before the washer 20 contacts the seat II. The assembly is then pushed down upon the seat by means of the valve stem II, causing the valve I8 to slide downwardly until the washer '28 contacts the seat III. Thus the valve closes and the 10 flow is restricted at two points, the juncture of the washer 28 with the seat It and the juncture It will be noted that, after the initial adjustment, the valve closes simultaneously at'these two points.

' It is well known that a more quiet action results when the valve closes simultaneously at more than one point, as the pressure is reduced gradually. However, to create a valve which has two points of closing, operating simultaneously, has hitherto required a great deal of-very accurate machining which is so expensive as to be pro- 7 By means of this construction, however, this and may be attained, and a quiet valve produced economically, since the two points of closing are automatically adjusted to close simultaneously,

The groove 22 allows the periphery of th washer 20 to'fiex somewhat, thus allowing for compression of the washer and also causing it to grip the inside of the sleeve 23 more tightly and act more eifectually to prevent further sliding of the sleeve 23 on the valve I8.

The valve stem I1 is provided with an annular, circumferential groove 24 adapted to receive the horizontal position of an L shaped lug 25 depending from the operating yoke 26, which is mounted on pins 21 and 28 extending outwardly, respectively, from the float lever 29 and the float lever link 30 and extending into apertures H and 42 in the yoke 26. It will be noted that the apertures H and 42 are elongated in shape. The lug 25 is held in engagement with the groove 24 by the lug I4. When it is desired to remove the yoke the screws I3 holding the cap I2 are loos- 5 ened, the cap rotated until the lug 25 clears the lug I4, as shown by the dotted lines of Figure 3. The yoke 26 may be removed by springing it so as to pass over the pins 21 and 28.

The float lever 29 is provided with a pair of inwardly extending bosses 2| and 82 positioned on opposite sides of the valve body 6 and formed with longitudinally extending apertures 88 and 24 adapted to receive cylindrical bosses 86 and 36 extending inwardly from the float lever link 66 III andhavingatelescopi'cfltinthebossesll and 32.

Thebodyiisformedwithapairoi Ushaped apertures 31 and 38 positioned on opposite sides oi the body. The float lever 29 and float lever link II are rotatably mounted, respectively, by means of pins as and 4. extending into the apertures 81 and II.

The float lever 29 is threaded at II to permit the attachment of a float rod 44. When the float rod I4 is lowered the pins 39 and ll, having a tul-v crum at 81 and 38, rotate, giving a partial rotation to the float lever mechanism as a whole, and the pins 21 and I. are raised, transmitting their action to the yoke 28, thus. opening the valve. The reverse action takes place upon the raising of the float rod 44.

It will be noted that as the pins 27, 2! and ll, I are cylindrical in shape and the apertures ll, 42 and II, II are substantially elongated in shape, that is, having a longitudinal diameter greater than the transverse diameter, the pins have a rolling action in the apertures. Thus all friction-creating sliding action is eliminated and the valve'operating mechanism virtually operates upon roller bearings, resulting in a virtually trictionless and free operating valve.

The whole assembly may be readily disassembled upon removal of the yoke 26 which holds the float lever 29 and float lever link II in telescoped relationship.

It will be noted that the entire valve assembly requires very little expensive machining, as most of the parts can be cast as accurately as required for proper operation.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the speciflc details herein disclosed without departing from the substance of the invention; therefore I do not limit myself to said details but claim all structures within the substance of the invention and the scope oi the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In afloat valve, the combination of a valve body, a cap on said body, a valve stem extending through said cap, a groove in the exterior portion of said valve stem, a yoke pivotally attached to said body, a lug depending from said yoke and having a portion adapted to engage the groove in said valve stem, an upstanding lug on said cap adapted to hold said first mentioned lug in contact with said groove, said second mentioned lug beingturned of of engagement with said first mentioned lug when said cap is turned.

2. In a float valve, the combination oi a valve body, a cap on said body, a valve stem extmding through said cap, ayoke attached to said body and having a portion adapted to operatively engage said valve stem, an upstanding lug on said cap adapted to hold said yoke in operative engagement with said valve stem and being turned out of engagement with said yoke upon turning of said cap from its normal possition.

3. In a float valve, the combination of a valve body, a pair of apertures positioned on opposite sides of said body, a float lever positioned on one side of said body, a float link positioned on the opposite side 01' said body, said float lever and said float lever link having interlocking portions and portions extending into said body apertures whereby said float lever and said float lever link may be pivotally mounted on said body in interlocked relationship, a yoke fltting over said float lever and said float lever link and adapted to hold said float lever and said float lever link in inter- I locked relationship, a cap on said body, a valve stem extending through said cap, a portion on said yoke adapted to operatively engage said valve stem, an upstanding lug on said cap adapted to hold said yoke in operative engagement body, a pair of substantially U shaped apertures positioned on opposite sides of said body, a float lever positioned on one side of said body, a pair bosses on said float lever extending inwardly toward and on opposite sides of said body, said bosses being provided with longitudinal aper-' tures, a float lever link positioned on the side of the body opposite said float lever, said float lever and said float lever link having retaining portions extending into said U shaped apertures, a pair 01 bosses on said float lever link extending inwardly toward and on opposite sides of said body and adapted to flt telescopically within said apertures in the float lever and a yoke fitting over said float lever and said float lever link and adapted to hold said. float lever and said float lever link in interconnected relationship.

5. In a float valve, thecombination of a valve body, apair of apertures positioned on opposite sides of said body, a float lever positioned on one side of said body, a float lever link positioned on the opposite side of said body, said float lever and said float'lever link having interlocking portions and portions extending into said body aper-.

tures whereby said float lever and said float lever link may be rotatablyu'nounted on said body in interlocked relationship, and a yoke fltting over said float lever and said float lever link and adapted to hold said float lever and said floatlever link in interlocked relationship.

6. In a float valve, the combination of a valve body, a pair of apertures positioned on opposite sides 01' said body, a float lever positioned on one side or said body, a float lever link positioned on the opposite side of said body, said float lever and said float lever link having interlocking portions, a yoke adapted to flt over said float lever and said float lever link, a pair of apertures in said yoke, a pair of apertures in said body, said apertures in said yoke and body having a longitudinal diameter greater than this transverse diameter, substantially cylindrical pins extending from said float lever and said float lever link into the apertures in said body, and similar pins extending from said float lever and said float lever link into the apertures in said yoke.

' CARL J. KOHLER. 

